Holding device adapted to be attached to a building wall for holding objects or to be gripped by a person

ABSTRACT

A holding device is designed to be attached to a building wall, and in particular in a bathroom, using a suction means having at least one suction head with a sucker disk and an actuating means for the sucker disk so that the suction means may be attached to and detached from the building wall manually on operation of the actuating means. The suction means bears a bearing unit able to be pivoted about a pivot axis parallel to the building wall. The bearing unit bears a support bar extending perpendicularly to the pivot axis for holding objects or to be grasped by persons

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a holding device adapted to be attached to abuilding wall and in particular in a bathroom, comprising an attachmentmeans able to be attached to the building wall and a support bar forholding objects or to be gripped by persons, and which, when theattachment means is attached to the building wall extends in a positionof use into the space delimited by the building wall.

THE PRIOR ART

Such holding device are for example employed to hold a curtain, when aseated person is to be given a shower and washed by another person. Thecurtain is located generally at hip level between the two persons and isintended to keep the clothing of the one person from being splashed.Furthermore the seated elderly or disabled person may grasp the supportbar to stand up.

The known holding devices are permanently secured to the building wall.The result of this is that after use the support bar may bedisadvantageously placed having regard to on local features or theheight of the persons. Moreover, the support bar extending into the roommay be an obstruction when not in use. The support bar itself might evenbe in the way if it is able to be pivoted to the side. In bathrooms andthe like space is normally at a premium so that folding the bar to theside is frequently not possible.

SHORT SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the invention is accordingly to devise a holding device ofthe type initially mentioned which is adaptable to different functionsand when not in use is not an obstruction.

In order to achieve these and/or other objects appearing from thepresent specification, claims and drawings, in,the present invention theattachment means comprises a suction means with at least one suctionhead with a sucker disk and an actuating means for the sucker disk sothat the sucker disk and with it the associated suction head may bemanually caused to suck firmly on the building wall and be released fromit, and the suction means carries a bearing unit able to be pivotedabout a pivot axis parallel to the building wall, such bearing unitholding the support bar extending perpendicularly to the pivot axis.

A precondition for the attachment of the holding device in accordancewith the invention is a flat wall. This condition will be fulfilled in abathroom which is normally tiled and the suction means may be mounted onthe tiles at any desired position for adaptation to different uses,different spatial circumstances and persons of different height. Theposition of the holding device may be reset whenever required withoutany difficulty. It is merely necessary to operate the actuating means byhand.

Since the support bar may be pivoted at the bearing unit the grip orsupport bar may be shifted toward the wall into a non-use position outof the way. In this respect the lack of space may be taken into accountby moving the holding device out of the way against the wall.

Furthermore the pivot axis does not need to be vertically aligned. Thesuction means may be in fact positioned at any angle on the buildingwall so that the pivot axis may also be set horizontally or at anydesired angular position betwixt horizontal and vertical.

It will be clear that the support bar may also be employed to hold anyother desired objects, which are to be pivoted toward or away from aperson when standing, seated or prone. In this case as well the holdingdevice can be set at the respectively most convenient position on thebuilding wall.

The multiplicity of possible applications furthermore includes thepossibility of designing the support bar to be grasped by a person andproviding it with a handle means. For instance, the suction means may beso positioned on the wall that the support bar extends toward a seatedperson, who may then grasp the handle means of the support bar and pullhimself or herself upward to stand up.

Further useful developments of the invention are defined in the claims.

Further advantageous developments and convenient forms of the inventionwill be understood from the following detailed descriptive disclosure ofembodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

LIST OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a person standing in a room with beside a holding device inaccordance with the invention held on the wall, the support bar thereofsupporting a curtain which is omitted to render the drawing morestraightforward, and being pivoted upward into a non-use positionagainst the wall.

FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of FIG. 1 with the support bar pivoted intoits position of use projecting away from the wall.

FIG. 3 shows an arrangement differing from that of FIG. 1 in that theholding device has assumed a position pivoted through 90 degree so thatthe pivot axis extends vertically and the support bar is pivoted to theside against the wall.

FIG. 4 shows the same arrangement as in FIG. 3, the support bar beingpivoted toward a seated person.

FIG. 5 shows a different use in which the suction means is securedbeside a person seated on a toilet bowl for example the support barbeing provided with a handle means and being swung toward the person whomay use the support bar to stand up, the bar being inserted in the otherof two sockets in the bearing unit to that illustrated in FIGS. 1through 4.

FIG. 6 shows an arrangement similar to that of FIG. 5 in which howeverthe holding device is secured to a wall opposite to a person.

FIG. 7 shows the holding device used in FIGS. 1 through 6 in an obliqueview, the partially cut away support bar being inserted into the samesocket as in FIGS. 1 through 4.

FIG. 8 shows the arrangement of FIG. 7 in plan looking in the directionas indicated by the arrow VIII of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 shows the arrangement of FIG. 8 from the side as indicated by thearrow IX.

FIG. 10 shows the end, provided with an adjustable wall abutment elementin a separate view.

FIG. 11 shows the arrangement of FIG. 7 as seen obliquely from below inan exploded showing.

FIG. 12 shows the arrangement of FIG. 11 in a plan view corresponding toFIG. 8, the bearing unit and the support bar being illustrated pivotedslightly upward.

FIG. 13 shows the arrangement of FIG. 12 in a side view looking in thedirection as indicated by the arrow XIII.

FIG. 14 shows the holding device as employed in accordance with FIGS. 1through 6, the partly cut away support bar being plugged into the samesocket as in FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 15 shows the bearing unit in accordance with the invention in aseparate elevation looking in an oblique direction.

FIG. 16 shows the bearing unit of FIG. 15 from the side looking in thedirection as indicated by the arrow XVI.

FIG. 17 shows the same bearing unit in a side view arrangement XVII at aright angle to the line of viewing in FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 shows the same bearing unit in plan view looking in thedirection as indicated by the arrow XVIII.

DETAILED ACCOUNT OF WORKING EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The holding device 1 appearing in the drawings is illustrated in FIGS. 1through 6 in each case attached to a wall of a bathroom as a room in abuilding in different positions and at different angles.

In this context the holding device 1 possesses an attachment means whichis constituted by a suction means 2. The suction means 2 comprises twosuction heads 2 and 4, which respectively include a sucker disk 5 and amanually operated actuating means 6. The two suction heads 3 and 4 areidentical in design so that the said reference numerals only appear inthe case of the sucker disk 3. The respective sucker disk comprises arubber-like flexible material and is arranged on the bottom side of therespective suction head 3 and 4. The sucker disk 5 projects past thesuction head housing 7 right the way around it, the housing 7 having acavity into which the middle portion of the sucker disk 5 may be drawnupward. When pulled upward the outer portion of the sucker disk 5 bearsagainst the bottom side of the suction head housing 7.

The actuating means 6 is assigned to the respective sucker disk 5 andcan be shifted between an inactive and an active position. In theinactive position the sucker disk 5 rests loosely on the suction headhousing 7 and is not urged toward the suction head housing 7. In theactive position of the actuating means 6 the sucker disk 5 is on theother hand drawn up toward the suction head housing 7.

The actuating means 6 comprises an actuating lever 8 able to be tiltedbetween the active position and the inactive one. In the drawing theactuating lever 8 is illustrated in its active position in which thesucker disk 5 is pulled upward. The pivoting movement of the actuatinglever 8 is converted by way of an eccentric means into the upwardmovement of the sucker disk 5.

For the attachment of the suction means 2 and accordingly of the holdingdevice 1 on the respective building wall the suction heads 3 and 4 areput on the wall with the actuating 8 lever in the inactive position.When the sucker disks 5 are on the building wall the actuating lever 8is pivoted into its active position so that the sucker disk 5 (whoseouter portion is still thrust against the building wall by the suctionhead housing 7) has its middle portion drawn away from the buildingwall. Accordingly vacuum is produced between the building wall and thesucker disk 5 so that the respective suction head 3 and 4 is held faston the building-wall. For releasing the respective suction head 3 and 4from the building wall the actuating lever 8 is pivoted back into theinactive position so that the sucker disk 5 is relieved and therespective suction head can be shifted clear of the building wall. Inthis respect it may be necessary to lift the edge of the sucker disk 5at some point briefly so-that air from the surroundings may find its wayunderneath the sucker disk.

Such suction means are known and are f.i. described in the Europeanpatent publication EP 1 183 981 A2 so that a more detailed descriptionis not required.

The building wall must be sufficiently even at the attachment point forthe suction means 2. This is the case with tiled walls if the suctionheads 3 and 4 are not put on joints between the tiles.

It is to be pointed even at this stage that the suction means mayinstead of having two suction heads in principle may also have only asingle suction head or more than two suction heads.

The holding device 1 furthermore has a bearing unit 9 which is borne bythe suction means 2. The bearing unit 9 is pivotally connected with thesuction means 2 for pivoting about pivot axis parallel to the attachmentplane defined by the sucker disks 5 (see FIG. 8). The bearing unit 9serves for holding a support bar 11 extending perpendicularly to thepivot axis 10 away from the bearing unit 9.

The support bar 11, as indicated in FIGS. 1 through 4, may be in theform of a curtain rod. In this respect in the FIGS. 1 through 4 thecurtain has been omitted to make the drawing more straightforward. Thecurtain's rings, which slide along the support bar 11, are howeverillustrated. The holding device 1 has been installed in FIGS. 1 through4 generally at hip level adjacent to a seat for the person on therespective building wall. Dependent on the angle set for the position ofthe suction means 2 on the building wall, the pivot axis 10 ishorizontal (FIGS. 1 and 2) or vertical (FIGS. 3 and 4). Accordingly thesupport bar 11 may be pivoted between a position out of use folded backagainst the wall upward (FIGS. 1 and 2) or, respectively, to the side(FIGS. 3 and 4) and a position of use projecting from the building wallinto the room. As shown in FIG. 2 the support bar 11 is pivotedapproximately 90 degrees downward. In FIG. 4 the support bar 11 ispivoted out of its lateral position out of use into the interior of theroom, it still assuming a slanting position and accordingly not beingcompletely turned through 90 degrees into its position of use. Thedependent curtain on the support bar 11 separates the personillustrated, who is to be washed, from the person doing the washing.

In the working embodiment there are two possibilities of attachment forthe support bar 11 on the bearing unit 9, as will be later explained indetail. In the case of the FIGS. 1 through 4 a possibility of mountinghas been selected in which the support bar 11 can not be pivoted pastthe position of use perpendicular to the building wall. The support bar1 is as it were in FIG. 2 held up at the desired level of its ownaccord.

In the case of FIGS. 5 and 6 the support bar 11 serves as a hold for aseated person. In this case the support bar 11 is provided with a handlemeans 12 so that the person can help himself when getting up by graspingthe handle means 12 on the support bar. For this application of theholding device 1 in accordance with the invention other attachmentpossibilities were selected for the mounting of the support bar 11 onthe bearing unit 9. The support bar 11 may in this case be pivotedthrough about 180 degrees around the pivot axis 10.

The pivot axis 10 is defined by a pivot axle element 13. The pivot axleelement 13 possesses a circularly round cross section and may beconstituted by a piece of tubing or may be solid. The two suction heads3 and 4 are connected with each other by way of the pivot axle element13. The bearing unit 9 is arranged between the two suction heads 3 and 4and is therefore supported in a pivotal fashion on the pivot axleelement 13. For this purpose the bearing unit 9 has a through bearingrecess 14 through which the pivot axle element 13 extends.

The pivot axle element 13 is detachably connected with the two suctionheads 3 and 4 so that there is a modular design. In this respect thepivot axle element 13 is plugged to the suction heads 3 and 4detachably. Furthermore the pivot axle element 13 may be connecteddetachably with the suction heads 3 and 4 by detent means.

In the case of each suction head 3 and 4 the suction head housing 7exhibits a plug receiving recess 15 and respectively, 16, aligned withthe direction of the pivot axis 10, into which the pivot axle element 13is plugged after the bearing unit 9 has been attached by plugging. Forthe detachable detent connection of the pivot axle element 13 in theplug receiving recesses 15 and 16 the pivot axle element 13 may have aspring loaded detent or catch element 17 and, respectively, 18 at itstwo end portions fitting into the plug recesses, such detent elementprotruding from the outer periphery and being adapted for cooperationwith a detent hole 19 in the wall of the plug recess 15 and,respectively, 16. In the drawing, FIGS. 11 and 13, only hole 19 of thesuction head 4 is visible. The detent hole provided on the other suctionhead 3 is turned away from the reader. As regards the FIGS. 11 and 13 itis furthermore to be noted that the pivot axle element 13 firstly mustbe turned out of its illustrated angular position till the detentelements 17 and 18 are lined up with the detent holes 19. For pluggingthe pivot axle element 13 into the plug recesses 15 and 16 the detentelements 17 and 18 must be thrust against the force of the springinward. When the detent or catch elements get as far as the detent holes19 they will snap home into the detent holes 19 owing to the action ofthe spring. In order to undo the connection the detent elements 17 and18 can be thrust inward from the outside through the detent holes 19.

In principle the two suction heads 3 and 4 could be omitted. As regardsstrength however two suction heads 3 and 4 with a bearing unit 9arranged between the suction heads are advantageous.

The rotary bearing recess 14 is stepped at both end so that it has endportions 20 and 21 with an increased diameter. During fitting togetherthe circular part of the suction head housing 7, which surrounds therespective plug receiving recess 15 and 16, is plugged into the endportion 20, respectively, 21 of the rotary bearing recess 14.

To secure the bearing unit 9 in the axial direction each suction head 3and 4 constitutes a terminal abutment 22 and 23 (see FIG. 13), whichcomes into engagement on the bearing unit 9.

The bearing unit 3 and the support bar 11 together with it should beable to be secured in the respective position of pivoting the pivot axleelement 13 or, respectively, come to a halt in the desired pivotalsetting. For this purpose there is a securing means effective betweenthe bearing unit 9 and the pivot axle element 13 to hold the bearingunit 9 in various different angular position on the pivot axle element13.

This could in principle be ensured if there is a set screw screwedthrough the bearing unit 9, such screw being able to be turned from theoutside to act on the pivot axle element 13. But this possibility wouldhowever entail detachment and tightening of the set screw at every timethe pivot axle element's angle is reset.

A more convenient arrangement would therefore be one in which the rotarybearing recess 14 has a friction pad 24 so that although the bearingunit 9 may be turned on the pivot axle element 13, it is automaticallyheld in the respective position of pivoting owing to the friction. Thefriction pad could also be provided on the pivot axle element. It wouldfurthermore be possible for both the rotary bearing recess and also thepivot axle element to have a friction pad.

In addition to the friction pad 24 or in lieu of the friction pad theholding means could also be constituted by a releasable rotary/detentconnection means. This means that in certain angular positions of thebearing unit 9 a detent engagement with the pivot axle element 13 isproduced, the detent connection being overcome by the user's exerting asufficiently large pivoting force so that the bearing unit 9 can beswung into the next predetermined pivot position.

In the working embodiment illustrated the rotary/detent connection isconstituted by peripherally distributed detent recesses 25 in the wallof the rotary bearing recess 14, such recesses being provided with aresiliently supported detent member 26 (see FIGS. 11 and 12) on thepivot axle element 13. The detent member 26 is urged by the spring forceradially outward so that it projects on the periphery of the pivot axleelement 13. In the pivot positions set by the detent recesses 25 thedetent means 26 fits into the respective detent recess 25. On applying asufficient pivoting force to the support bar 11 the detent member 26 isthrust inward radially by the wall of the rotary bearing recess 14. Whenduring pivoting the next detent recess 25 gets as far as the detentmember 26, same will snap into this detent recess. The end face of thedetent member 26 facing the wall of the rotary bearing recess 14 may beconvex or spherical in configuration. The end face of the detent member26 could also be at a slant and wedge-like so that the detent engagementcould only be overcome in one pivoting direction of the support bar 11,whereas in the opposite direction of pivoting a firm locking effectwould be produced. It will be clear that the detent recesses 25 wouldhave to be suitably adapted as regards the configuration of their crosssection.

In the working embodiment illustrated the end face of the detent member26 is convex in form. Accordingly the detent recesses 25 have a crosssection in the form of a circular arc as is depicted in FIG. 16 inparticular.

The detent recesses 25 could be constituted by detent grooves 27 whichare continuous in the axial direction. This is more particularlyadvantageous as regards manufacturing technology.

In principle the arrangement could also be contrived with a mechanicalreversal of parts with the detent member arranged in the wall of therotary bearing recess and the detent recesses in the pivot axle element.

The bearing unit 9 possesses two plug sockets 28 and 29 which are normalto the pivot axis 10 and hence normal to the pivot axle element 13,andare provided for the facing end of the support bar 11 so that thesupport bar can be plugged into the one or the other of the plug sockets28 and 29 and secured there. In principle it would be possible as wellto secure two support bars 11 in one of the two plug sockets 28 and 29.

Moreover, as a modification of the illustrated working embodiment itwould be possible for the bearing unit 9 to have but one single plugsocket 28 or, respectively, 29.

The two plug sockets 28 and 29 are at a right angle to each other.

One of the two plug sockets 28 is constituted by a through hole 30arranged spaced from the pivot axis 10 and accordingly alongside thepivot axle element 13. The through hole 30 therefore extends parallel toa tangent to the rotary bearing recess 14. In this case the support bar11 may be completely inserted right through the through hole 30accordingly the through bearing unit 9 so that its end portion 31 (seeFIGS. 9 and 10) extend through the through hole 30 and through thebearing unit 9 and extend past the bearing unit 9. The projecting endportion 31 bears a wall abutment 32, which could also be formed by theend face of the support bar's end part 31.

The wall abutment 32 arranged in front of the bearing unit 9 means thatthe bearing unit 9 and with it the support bar 11 can only be pivoted inthe respective direction until the wall abutment 32 strikes the buildingwall on which the holding device 1 is fixed. This will be seen from theFIGS. 1 through 4. The support bar 11 in this case is stuck rightthrough the through hole 30. If the support bar 11 is swung out of itsidle position as in FIG. 1 downward into its use position as in FIG. 2the wall abutment 32 will engage the building wall with the result thatthe support bar 11 can not move any farther downward. The seated personmay therefore be supported by the support bar 11 without having to fearpivoting of the support bar 11 and its giving away. In the case of FIGS.3 and 4 the wall abutment 32 will limit the pivoting movement of thesupport bar 11 toward the seated person.

The wall abutment 32 is able to be adjusted in the longitudinaldirection of the support bar 11 so that there is an adjustable limitingeffect for the support bar 11. Furthermore a wall abutment element 33can be arranged on the support bar end which is adjustable in thelongitudinal direction of the support bar. In FIG. 10 the wall abutmentelement 33 is indicated in chained lines in a further position which isfarther to the outside. The wall abutment element 33 may have a threadedpin 34 which is screwed into the support bar 11 so that the longitudinalposition of the wall abutment element 33 can be set by rotation in theone or the other direction.

Another possibility for the adjustment of the wall abutment is such thatthe support bar 11 is able to be slid in the longitudinal direction andsecured in the respective longitudinal position in the through hole 30.This can for example be effected by having a set screw screwed inthrough the bearing unit 9 and acting on the support bar 11. This designis not depicted.

In the case of the other plug socket 29 of the bearing unit 9 it is aquestion of a blind hole 35 which is radial in relation to the pivotaxle element 13. In the case of the use in accordance with FIGS. 5 and 6of the holding device 1 the support bar 11 is secured in the blind hole35. It may then be pivoted through a range of approximately 180 degreeswith the result that it can be pivoted to either side of the suctionmeans 2 toward the building wall.

The support bar 11 is in both possible applications arrested in thethrough hole 30 or, respectively, in the blind hole 35 releasably. Forthis purpose it is possible to have a detachable detent for holding inplace apart from the above described possibility of the use of a setscrew for adjustment of the longitudinal position of the support bar.For this purpose a detent element 36 can be arranged on the support bar11 which corresponds to the detent elements 17 and 18 of the pivot axleelement 13, such detent element 36 being urged by spring force outward.For the detent element 36 there is a cooperating detent hole 37 in thebearing unit 9, into which the detent element 35 snaps. The snapped homedetent element 36 is—since the detent hole 37 opens to theoutside—accessible from the outside so that the detent element 36 may beurged out of the plug socket inward for withdrawing the support bar 11.It will be clear that the detent hole 37, like the detent hole 19described above, constitutes an annular surrounding abutment face 38 onwhich the detent element 36 abuts.

The detent hole 37 may as in the working be so arranged that the detentelement 36 fits into the same detent hole 37 irrespectively of whetherthe support bar 11 is fitted in the through hole 30 or the blind hole35.

The bearing unit 9 constitutes a pivot axis bearing portion 19 and abearing portion 40 extending sideways from the pivot axis bearingportion, such portion 40 having in it the through hole 30 and the blindhole 35. The support bar bearing portion 40 preferably has a squareblock-like configuration. The pivot axis bearing portion 39 is radiusedat the side opposite to the support bar bearing portion 40 so that thepivoting about the pivot axis element 13 is not impeded. The bearingunit 9 can be a single integral molding.

1. A holding device adapted to be attached to a building wall and inparticular in a bathroom, comprising an attachment means able to beattached to the building wall and a support bar for holding objects orto be gripped by persons, and which, when the attachment means isattached to the building wall extends in a position of use into thespace delimited by the building wall wherein the attachment meanscomprises a suction means with at least one suction head with a suckerdisk and an actuating means for the sucker disk so that the sucker diskand with it the associated suction head may be manually caused to suckfirmly on the building wall and be released from it, and the suctionmeans carries a bearing unit able to be pivoted about a pivot axisparallel to the building wall, such bearing unit holding the support barextending perpendicularly to the pivot axis.
 2. The holding device asset forth in claim 1, wherein the pivot axis is constituted by pivotaxle element extending from the at least one suction head.
 3. Theholding device as set forth in claim 2, wherein the suction meanscomprises two suction heads connected with one another by way of thepivot axle element.
 4. The holding device as set forth in claim 3,wherein the bearing unit is arranged betwixt the two suction heads. 5.The holding device as set forth in claim 2, wherein each suction headconstitutes a terminal abutment for securing the bearing unit in theaxial direction.
 6. The holding device as set forth in claim 2, whereinthe pivot axle element is detachably joined with the at least onesuction head.
 7. The holding device as set forth in claim 6, wherein thepivot axle element is connected by plugging detachably with the at leastone suction head.
 8. The holding device as set forth in claim 6, whereinthe pivot axle element is connected by detent means detachably with theat least one suction head.
 9. The holding device as set forth in claim2, wherein the bearing unit includes a through bearing recess throughwhich the pivot axle element is fitted.
 10. The holding device as setforth in claim 9, comprising a holding means, which is effective betweenthe bearing unit and the pivot axle element, for holding the bearingunit in place in different angular positions on the pivot axle element.11. The holding device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the rotarybearing recess and/or the pivot axle element have a friction pad. 12.The holding device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the holding meansis a releasable rotary/detent connection means.
 13. The holding deviceas set forth in claim 10, wherein the rotary/detent connection isconstituted by peripherally distributed detent recesses in the wall ofthe rotary bearing recess or on the pivot axle element and a resilientlyheld detent member, corresponding to the detent recesses, on the pivotaxle element or, respectively, on the wall of the rotary bearing recess.14. The holding device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the bearing unithas at least one plug socket at a right angle to the pivot axis andassociated with the facing terminal support bar.
 15. The holding deviceas set forth in claim 14, wherein the bearing unit has plug socket inthe form of a through hole spaced from the pivot axis.
 16. The holdingdevice as set forth in claim 15, wherein the terminal portion of thesupport bar fits through the through hole and forms or bears a wallabutment.
 17. The holding device as set forth in claim 16, comprising awall abutment element arranged on the support bar end and able to beadjusted in the longitudinal direction of the support bar.
 18. Theholding device as set forth in claim 16, wherein the support bar is ableto be slid in its longitudinal direction and is borne in the respectivelongitudinal position and is able to be set in place in the throughhole.
 19. The holding device as set forth in claim 14, wherein thebearing unit possesses a plug socket in the form of a blind holeradially aligned in relation to the pivot axis.
 20. The holding deviceas set forth in claim 14, wherein the support bar is detachably held bydetent means in the plug socket.
 21. The holding device as set forth inclaim 14, wherein the bearing unit constitutes a pivot axis bearingportion bearinged on the pivot axle element and also constitutes asupport bar bearing portion projecting sideways from the pivot axisbearing portion, the at least one plug socket being arranged on thelatter.
 22. The holding device as set forth in claim 21, wherein thesaid support bar bearing portion has the shape of a square block. 23.The holding device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the support bar isdesigned in the form of a curtain rod.
 24. The holding device as setforth in claim 1, wherein the support bar is designed to be grasped andis provided with a handle means.